Blackberry Winter
by candidshot
Summary: He promised her an eternity of his love. But then time passed and Caroline found a new lover and he too, found a new love. But then a phone call from her and his undying love marked by eternity, reminded Klaus that loving Caroline is like having a thousand hearts. But more time passed, and when his end was near, Klaus chose to disappear.


From the very start, he was meant to fall in love with her.

When he'd promised her eternity, the heavens were laden with tiny stars, and the moon appeared even bigger making silver lining around the night's dark. The night air was crisp and silent, but even with all the wonders of the world, Caroline was yet exquisite above them all. Like a fairy tale, she was magic and a shooting star.

So he promised her an eternity of his love.

But when his end was near, Klaus chose to disappear.

And so time passed and Stefan, Klaus' since-1920s pal became Caroline's new love. Klaus was flummoxed, quandary as to where the hell time went. He knew the promise was to be her last love and not the 'next' after Tyler. He also knew that with their immortality, 'last' could end up being too close to eternity. He knew all that and yet the unwelcomed reality when Stefan showed up in New Orleans, was a squeeze on his heart.

Then there was the story of Cami. She was beautiful, smart, had guts and he felt himself getting in groove with her. But why did that happen? Whatever happened to his promise of being Caroline's inescapable final love? It seemed Caroline wasn't waiting for him and he – he was off getting cosy with another 'lover'. With Cami, he got fancied that someone could openly have loved him without the baggage of clingy childhood friends always judging him, judging her, judging them.

But from the very start, he was meant to fall in love with Caroline.

First he fell in love with her sunny beauty and then her truths that were bare and wickedly frank, but he loved her like that – feeling that she was really looking at him, paying attention to his flaws and his struggle for acceptance… thinking about him – when no one else would, she could see his soul calling out SOS.

But perhaps most importantly, she came to care for him and made him her friend… to kiss him… she perhaps came to love him.

"One day, you'll love me so much that Tyler and no one else will have mattered", he told her once.

At that bold declaration, for Caroline, a woman of a thousand comebacks to have only smiled with a radiance that was more dazzling than the twinkly stars above them, for her to have only made small sounds of laughter like warm whispers in the crispy breeze, Klaus knew he was made to love this woman.

But time passed and Stefan showed up and then Klaus found himself saying goodbye to Caroline on the phone. But even then, that telephone call was like stardust magic falling down and clinging to them. The tension, the attraction, the never ending mental repeat of the promised made years before. Like the red string of fate, that phone call connected them, reminded them that like it or not, ignore it or not, together or not, their love was meant to be.

"Hello, love".

"Klaus?"

Her soft breathing into the phone, their long pauses searching for words, the filler chattering buying them time to calm their nerves. In that vacuum, time and the universe paid homage to them. It was short-lived;– the tiny sparks that soon roasted into a heat of nostalgic desire. But he couldn't sweet talk her, not when danger was in tow behind him.

And so when the call was done, whopping years had passed.

Klaus had always been selfish, but he wouldn't be careless and risk even a hair on her pretty head to be ruffled by the many ancients trying to kill him; because, however long it takes, Klaus keeps his promises. And having promised Caroline his whole life, such a life would be worthless should it bring harm to her. So until he was once again able to make himself King for her… until he could once again promise her worldly adventures, he left her to his since-1920s pal to do good by her, and when his ending was near, Klaus disappeared.

But not for long.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for Klaus".

One day, Klaus' Love came to find him.

His Love with long blonde hair carrying two little girls showed up at the NOLA French Quarter.

And like a state of enlightenment, Klaus was reminded that from the very start, he was meant to fall in love with Caroline. And so when she finally needed him, and he like forever needed her – when she finally came to him, he told Freya to drop the veil that hid him from the vindictive world.

Perplexed at first watching Klaus' usually happy childish grin, Freya suspiciously said, "there's something on your face".

"What?" he asked wiping his cheeks, eyes big and lips spread wide in innocence and excitement.

"A grin. And it's creepy", Rebekah in lieu replied, rolling her eyes but not without a hidden smile around her lips.

Klaus laughed and Elijah added, "more like mischief".

Klaus grinned, a pleasure so bright that his siblings thought he'd never before looked so human, "my dear brother, sisters", he said gloating, seemingly floating towards the entrance looking at the pretty woman who had come to get him, "it's happiness".

And might as well Klaus had a thousand hearts because, he thought it impossible to contain all his love for Caroline in just one. His head was giddy, his heart was frisky and even though he knew danger was ever nigh, he knew better that he didn't want to breathe another day without Caroline – Forever was too long to be without her – Tyler first, Stefan after – he couldn't stand having Caroline's secrets exposed to any other.

To hell with eternity!

That day was when he would fully love.

He wanted her undivided love then more than ever.

"Freya Sister, drop the cloaking veil", and when Freya waved her hands and winked him good to go, he stepped in the doorway and said, "hello Caroline".

"… Klaus".

"What brings you here, Love?"

Caroline smiled, her pink lips pressed together into the cutest thing ever Klaus had seen for ages, "maybe I'm playing devil's advocate".

Klaus smirked, "or maybe you just wanted to see me".

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I see you're still delusional", yet her lips were pleasantly spread like wings of a butterfly.

Klaus swore he felt his heart growing as he replied, "well no need to be modest. Make my day and tell me how much you need me".

Caroline rolled her eyes again, her lips thin and glossy and kissable, "well isn't that just wonderful. You make me want to fall more in love with you".

The reply took Klaus by surprise so he leant his head to the side and replied, "forget advocate. You truly are the devil".

She grinned, "do you disapprove?"

"I certainly don't", Klaus answered, finally letting her in, "a Caroline who teases loving me… every time I see your face, I'm compelled to love you more".

Caroline's world was never just black or white. Fear had always crippled her, but at that moment, she felt a love for Klaus that she had never experienced before, "well isn't that just wonderful".

For it seemed, that at the very end, she too was meant to fall in love with Klaus.

Klaus smiled, cried nearly, "you tease me well".

The kiss sizzled on his lips when she walked over to him and latched herself into his grip. Wordlessly, he melted like candy in her mouth, and flowed like honey on her tongue. Loudly, his heart beat as she hugged him and he whispered 'finally' into her ears. Sacredly, their love grew like the sprout of a perennial flower called into bloom at the start of its season and miraculously, he finally knew how much in love she was with him.

A perfect beginning, their new chapter had only just started, but already, Klaus was glad the past never lets go.

At least that sort of past.

Because just when all hope seemed lost, that day was sure of a love meant to be – a love that surely bloomed like ripened fruits in a blackberry winter field.


End file.
